Position: Learning Resource Teacher (Junior School)

Start Date: January 13, 2025 

End Date: June 26, 2025

Urban Academy staff, students and families are connected through learning, inspired by community, and empowered to contribute as we work toward our vision of truly educating for tomorrow. We value creativity, collaboration, global citizenship, technology, the outdoors and the arts as means through which we can offer excellence in education. A gender-inclusive JK–12 independent school, we are located in a beautiful facility in New Westminster, across the street from Braid Street Skytrain Station. 

At Urban Academy, we seek faculty and staff who are aligned with our values of belonging, future-focused education, changemaking and entrepreneurial spirit. Urban Academy is distinguished by extraordinary teachers who provide a collaborative, inquiry-based, and student-centred approach to teaching. Through the Urban Academy educational program, students develop critical thinking, creative thinking, and problem-solving skills in a technology-rich learning environment.

Urban Academy teachers inspire students. They are actively engaged in planning, implementing and assessing student learning. They are confident in curriculum development and demonstrate an approach to teaching that is reflective of the way in which young people learn. They optimize the resources available to students. They support all learners with diverse strategies and approaches and bring innovative solutions to learning challenges experienced by students. 

The students, members of your department, colleagues, and parents describe our teachers as approachable, available, knowledgeable, genuine, supportive and connected to our community. Urban Academy teachers understand the importance of parents as partners by maintaining open and collaborative relationships with the parent community. 

As lifelong learners, Urban Academy teachers demonstrate a commitment to actively seek professional development, to continuously reflect on their practice and to collaborate with colleagues to maximize student learning. Urban Academy teachers participate actively in the life of the school.

In addition to spending an engaging day with students who are genuinely interested in learning, thinking and playing, teachers are provided with dedicated work time as part of their daily schedule to plan and work collaboratively with others.

If this description of our teachers sounds like you, Urban Academy is currently inviting dedicated, team-oriented teachers to apply for our Learning Resource Teacher (Junior School) role. 

Learning Resource Teachers are part of our Student Services Team. Urban Academy’s Student Services Team aims to support and develop students’ academic, self-management, and self-advocacy skills while promoting positive attitudes toward learning and self-confidence in the face of challenges. Student support systems at UA are grounded in inclusivity and begin with implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies and practices for all students. We provide additional layers of targeted support and services for students who have a wide range of mild to moderate learning needs and exceptionalities, through a collaborative approach involving teachers, learning strategists, and other colleagues.

Responsibilities of every Urban Academy teacher:

– Planning, implementation and assessment: Bring a student-centred, inquiry-based, and collaborative approach to the delivery of the B.C. curriculum utilizing competency-based assessment and instruction as well as strong formative and summative assessment strategies. 
– Collaboration: Work collaboratively with teachers to plan, develop, and implement an extraordinary learning experience for each student 
– Pluralism: Demonstrate commitment to culturally sustaining teaching practices: infuse diverse voices and perspectives in the planning and delivery of learning experiences, including Indigenous, local, and global world views. 
– Knowledge of differentiated learning approaches and current practices in Inclusive Education.
– SEL: Build relationships with teachers and staff across the school community
Student Life: Be an active and positive participant in the co-curricular program. 
– Communication: Communicate consistently and professionally with students, parents, faculty and other stakeholders about student needs and growth.
– Continuous Growth: Practice professionalism through ongoing professional development, reflection, and continuous improvement. 

As a Learning Resource Teacher, your additional responsibilities include:

– Provide direct support for student learning through individual and small-group intervention.
– Support classroom and specialist teachers in understanding and addressing the range of needs of students in their classrooms.
– Work with classroom and specialist teachers to ensure the provision of Universal Design for Learning and Tier 1 interventions for all students.
– Partner with classroom teachers to identify students in need of additional support and strategies for differentiated learning.
– Support classroom and specialist teachers by offering resources and advice and by modelling instructional strategies to support differentiation.
– Collaboratively develop, monitor, and update IEPs, Individual Behaviour Plans and other required documentation as well as school-based support plans and documentation.
– Maintain accurate and thorough student records and communicate student information to colleagues as needed.
– Continuously assess the effectiveness of learning support interventions and manage change to interventions and supports as needed.
– Use a range of student achievement data to inform learning support practices and evaluation procedures.
– Participate in and lead school-based team (SBT) meetings and referral process
– Coordinate with outside specialists and providers as necessary.
– Provide supervision for students during recess, lunch, and after school, and occasional class coverage, as assigned.

Qualifications and requirements:

– Essential: B.C. Ministry of Education Certificate or Independent School Certification qualification criteria. Please indicate your TRB # on your application (L or J followed by 6 digits).
– A comprehensive understanding of current educational practices outlined in the BC Ministry of Education document.
– Excellent interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills.
– Superior EQ skills in self-awareness, self-management, social agility, impact and influence. 
– Strong knowledge of educational IT applications and assistive technologies.

Preferred qualifications, experiences, and dispositions:

– Academic qualifications and/or experience in inclusive education or a closely related subject area.
– Experience in developing, writing, and implementing IEP goals.
– Experience administering Level A assessments.
– Experience teaching Social Thinking Curriculum and Open-Parachute.
– Knowledge of early literacy intervention programs, Science of Reading, and developing early writing skills.
– Ability and interest in working across a range of grades.

Please visit our website (www.urbanacademy.ca) to learn more about UA’s wonderful school life and see if this is the type of environment that you feel you could thrive in, and contribute to. At Urban Academy, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce by ensuring a barrier-free work environment. We welcome applications from all qualified job seekers, from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of colour), persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQ (persons of all sexual orientations and genders). If you are an applicant with a disability, we will work with you to make reasonable workplace accommodations you may need for your best work performance.

Urban Academy provides:

Competitive Compensation at a salary range of $64,685 to $110,883 inclusive of vacation pay and commensurate with years of teaching experience 
– Open and collaborative culture 
– Comprehensive benefits package 
– Matching RRSP program 
– Personalized professional development plans 
– Newly built inspiring campus setting 
– Innovative and progressive approach to teaching 
– Low student/teacher ratios 

Urban Academy offers a comprehensive total compensation package including health benefits and RRSP program.

We thank all applicants in advance for their interest, but only those candidates who are short-listed will be contacted. No phone calls or drop-ins, please.

Please email your cover letter and resumé to [email protected].